you
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hello and welcome to where's Wilmington
I'm Lisa Kepala you know whether you
have children of school age or not do
you ever wonder how do those teachers
get the resources that they need and how
do they stretch their dollars well today
I have Jackie Rafi with us and she's
gonna hopefully help us figure out how
you teachers do all the great things you
do thanks for being with us thanks so
much for having me Lisa so I know you're
from the Wilmington educational
foundation before we start talking about
how you've actually done some pretty
amazing things with the limited budget
that you have let's talk about what the
educational foundation does or what it's
really comprised of okay it's a
nonprofit organization that we have here
in town and our sole purpose is really
to raise private funds from different
sources and then we have an established
set of grant programs that we use to
actually give the money back to the
school systems for particular uses okay
when did the educational foundation
when was it created initially in 1994
back with all of the budget cuts back in
the early 90s and the organization has
been active for quite a number of years
there was a little bit of a lull and
back in 2005 it was resurrected with me
and a couple of other board members that
we took it forward again for some more
energy was it ahead of its time in 1994
was it really something that came out of
the need was that around proposition 2
and it was it was you'll find if you
look at other educational foundations a
lot of them came up around that time
when but when budgets were being cut
across school systems that's still going
on unfortunately it is I think we're
entering some some tight times to come
and as I said in the opening if you
don't have school-age children sometimes
you're not thinking about you know
schools and how it all gets done but
these days I know a lot of kids have to
bring in their own paper the list of
things that children have to bring it's
exorbitant what you have to bring into
school when I went to school you just
brought yourself right we didn't even do
backpacks right
so I'm really dating myself but how is
the climate changed in that that you
know how are you making ends meet and
how are you managing in these times
right well I can't really speak for the
school department because the
educational foundation is totally
separate from the school department okay
but we try very hard to give funds to
the schools that cover creative and
innovative programs that can't be
covered by the municipal budget that's
given to the schools so you know we
don't supply the pencils in the paper
and whatnot but it's really it's it's
those parts of a child's education that
really allow them to be critical
thinkers and imaginative and use all of
their creative capabilities so it's sad
to say but it sounds like we're almost
calling them extras they shouldn't be
extras right that's what you're talking
about giving these extra programs that
really should be part of the program but
there's no funding that's right okay
like music art well actually we do have
in Wilmington we have very robust music
and art programs within the school
system but really if there's a
particular artist that we want that the
school system wants to bring in for an
enrichment program those that can be
very expensive and those aren't covered
by by the budget so it's that sort of
thing that it really gives new
experiences to our children and allows
them to really be excited about a
particular topic okay tell me what a day
in the life of the educational
foundation lady like yourself what what
do you do what is it like are you
constantly talking to different teachers
about what their needs are what do you
really do it's really to two things
first it's the fundraising it's going
out to the community businesses parents
people that that are as committed to the
quality of our education as we on the
board are and actually getting enough
interest so that they support our
fundraisers they come to our events and
they understand just how important it is
to have a very strong school system you
know that that we have in Wilmington and
what we're trying to do is make it
strong and does the educational
foundation cover from kindergarten up to
senior days that's great
it's all 13 grades yeah Wow yeah so we
really there's a range of you know
program needs that every aspect and one
of our grant programs the school grant
program which we just announced the the
awards for that allows each of the eight
schools in Wilmington to apply for a
grant that will help their particular
population of students because the
requirements for a kindergarten school
is going to be much different right in
the middle school and really it's those
teachers and administrators in those
school buildings that really know what
best works for their group of students
now the grant money that you're talking
about is that separate from the money
that you raise in the fundraiser in
other words of the grants applied for
through state organizations or through
the government and the fundraiser money
is used to help with that how does that
work sure we have in addition to our
fundraising events we do apply for
business grants and we do try to find
money through the state and federal
venues as well and what we do is is that
money goes into one pool and we've
established three grant programs that we
then use to put the money back to the
school system okay what does it entail
for your teachers to actually write a
grant proposal it sounds intimidating
yes yes that's why I wanted to ask you
because when I talked to you about this
I thought that must be a lot of
paperwork very time-consuming and
teachers are stressed I would guess
probably to their limit with the larger
class sizes and the budget cuts and
what-have-you to having to be parents
and psychologists along with being
educators how where do they find the
time to write a grant proposal and what
does that entail how we try to make the
process is absolutely easy and simple as
we can and still get the information
that we need to be able to make the the
selection of the grants our grant
programs or all the paperwork is all
online so you know a Saturday night if a
teacher can't sleep because she doesn't
know how she's going to fund something
that she wants to bring to her classroom
she can go on to the IDI foundation's
website Wilmington educational
foundation org
it's long but it's worthwhile to go
there and actually see what our grant
application
Asians look like they're they're very
simple really what we're trying to do is
we're trying to see how these
applications how they apply to the
curriculum that each of the grades needs
to stay with and and how it will augment
the teaching at each of the grade level
so and we're always available to answer
any questions that the teachers have
while they're filling out their grant
and I would imagine you want to look at
the longevity of the the grant money how
it's going to impact the class what it's
going to really do for the students is
this going to be something that's going
to enrich them on to the other grades or
is it just going to be a short term
gratification you must get the big
picture exactly and not only that but
but the the population that will be
positively impacted by it so something
that will work well for a grade one
through three you know that's a lot of
students and if you're able to offer
that to both of the elementary schools
you know one in the north side of town
and one on the west side of town
Ede that's even better you know that's
the whole bang for your buck right an
idea so we're looking for efficiencies
as well of course what kind of ideas are
the teachers coming up with and I know
we're going to look at some footage in a
minute how some of the things that they
have come up with what kinds of things
are they wanting to give to their
students all right well there's always
technology and our technology mini grant
program is is coming up in January where
we're going to offer the teachers the
ability to apply for a technology grant
so they can try a new piece of software
a new piece of hardware iPod podcasting
is becoming very popular and you know
for the cost of a system we can actually
expand you know a third graders class
capability of being able to research a
topic put it on a podcast and then be
able to share it with so many other
students I don't even have an iPod yet I
don't great but the kids are gonna have
access to that right and teach us that
would be fabulous yeah so I know
recently Kyle's Torino who is our intern
for a moment of high school of yes he
recently shot some footage at your award
ceremony when you gave out the grants or
you talked about what the folks did with
the
right that was the fun for teachers
program that we put on and there were
two grants that were made one to Aaron
Haley who was a fifth grade teacher at
the West School and then the other grant
was shared among four Shahin third-grade
teachers Diane Flaherty Bob mauriello
Cheryl coos oh and Donna Rogers that was
a great collaborative effort where where
each of those grants was used for summer
studies and summer traveling that then
these teachers brought back to their
classrooms okay well look at Aaron's
footage first but before we do that tell
us a little bit about what her idea was
and then we'll actually look at some of
the things that she showed you at that
meeting what was really neat it was my
husband and I have twin boys who are in
sixth grade now last year they were in
fifth grade and they went through the
Native American curriculum that Aaron
Haley's trip applied to so it was very
topical for you know from my standpoint
that we actually just studied all of the
different Native American locations
around the United States I say we they
did I became learned yeah I guess that's
right you hit the homework you're gonna
get something out of it right so her
grant was really to help her fund a
travel around the United States to find
Native American artifacts and materials
that she's incorporating in her
curriculum for this year what and
subsequent year what an amazing idea and
I know that in the footage she talks
about how she had hundreds of pictures
she did but she came up with a nice
presentation that she showed at your
award ceremony so let's take a look at
that and you can see when Aaron Hale did
with the great money that she got so
we'll see that now okay I wanted to
leave with a slideshow that I put
together just to highlight some of the
wonderful sights that I saw it's not all
of them it's only four and a half
minutes long but I thought it was
important for you to see some of the
pictures that my students will have
access to if I couldn't show them all I
think I have two full camera cards
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so that's just to highlight you hi we're
back we're here with where's Wilmington
and Jackie Rafi we were just watching
some footage of Aaron Haley and wow what
an amazing journey she must have had
yeah I love the picture of the bison I
love the music she used and that was
really great that she brought all that
to show the teachers to motivate them to
write grant proposals for the next year
right and one of the important ideas of
this program is each teacher that's
awarded a grant there's a an expectation
that they'll share that information with
their peers which is very important
because I think some of the same
materials that Aaron is using in her
fifth grade curriculum could be used by
several other fifth grade teachers
within the school system excellent so
once that information is gotten by the
teacher it stays within the system and
who can continue to use it that's
excellent well we're gonna take our
midpoint break here but we're gonna be
back with Jackie Rafi talking about the
Wilmington educational foundation we're
gonna talk about how you can get
involved and we're going to show you
some more footage of some really great
things that are going on in our
communities to stay with us
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I am Dominick Dunne from pack 361 and
you're watching WC TV Wilmington
community television hi we're back and
you're watching where's Wilmington here
on WC TV
I'm Lisa cappella and we're talking with
Jackie Rafi of the Wilmington
educational foundation we're talking
about what's going on in your schools
that you may or may not know if you
don't have kids in the grades that we're
talking about we just saw some really
beautiful footage that Erin Healy took
while she was doing a trip with money
that she got from the Educational
Foundation right that's right can you
tell us how much she got or is that not
alone oh no that's okay yes each of the
fund for teachers grants is $1,500 so we
have a she did buy all of that with
$1,500 I would guess that that some of
you know she had to use her own funds as
well as well but that really shows the
commitment that these teachers have for
what they want to do and just think
about a student who is reading something
but they can actually touch it you know
the tactile sensation I'm actually being
able to really put what they see on the
page into their minds like that it's
gotta be great to be a part of that and
I think it really makes a big impact for
that student right now when you go to
decide who gets these grants how tough
is that it really is very difficult and
the board members that are on the
subcommittee's that evaluate the grant
applications for each of our program
they all take their jobs very seriously
and the important thing to understand
too is that in addition to the the IDI
Foundation board committee members we
work closely with the administration of
the school so that we have a really good
idea of what the curriculum requirements
are for the different grades and and how
this these actually work well within the
curriculum how long does it take you
from the time you get the grant
applications to decide who's going to
get the grant money we initially take
about two weeks because we need to
review all of the information that's
submitted and
and then what's really useful is that
you know the participants sit around the
table and actually discuss different
facets of the applications and and you
know what works well we have a whole
rubric that we use and it's really it's
a very rigorous process but one that we
do willingly because it's an important
well and there have to be standards
because obviously there are feelings
involved and people want of course you
want your project to be the one that
gets the money so you've got to have a
benchmark I would know to keep it fair
right you know so there was a second
grant recipient and that was involving
for teachers in school can you tell us a
little about that before we look at it
sure the third grade curriculum the
social studies curriculum has to do with
Massachusetts geography and
Massachusetts history and as a matter of
fact at the Shaheen school they have a
large towards the end of the year
there's a big project that each of the
third graders has to has to do my guys
actually won one Evan did the Quabbin
Reservoir and Nicholas did the Bunker
Hill Monument and so what each student
needed to do was was choose and research
a particular landmark around
Massachusetts so what these teachers did
is they spent an extraordinary amount of
their time over the summer traveling
together so there's four teachers four
peers that travel together to all of
these different locations they went as
far west is this far western
Massachusetts as you as you can go
they went to Martha's Vineyard they went
to New Bedford it's amazing the places
that they went and the things that they
learned again and the thing that's very
exciting about all these programs is
these teachers all are lifelong learners
and so the more that these programs can
excite them right and revitalize them I
think the more that they bring back
because let's be honest there is a high
rate of burnout in any of the teaching
positions nursing - but teaching I would
think it's it's probably very easy to
get frustrated and be exhausted and feel
where can you go next and this probably
rejuvenates them and gives them a new
sense of purpose which is very important
I would think when you're in teaching
it's got to be important to keep
yourself charged up so that you don't
get that sense of by rote exactly no and
my goodness when we used to do things in
school
it was very much that way but I'm glad
to see that we're breaking out of that
and teaching can encompass many
different kinds of things which is great
yeah
so should we look at that footage yes
all right Kyle's Torino shot this
recently when was this um done November
18 okay and this was that the grant
award ceremony but where you showed
actually what some of the teachers had
done so this is the four teachers from
the shashing school and what they did
with their $1500 right yeah okay let's
take a look at that we collected lots of
information lots of books
I'd say the bulk of our grant money
probably went to purchasing books that
we can now bring back to the classroom
so we were lucky enough to bring all
these resources as well as the slideshow
a lot of these are featured in student
project at the end of the year as recent
as 2006 was kind of hidden gem back of
Beacon Hill which is part of the black
Heritage Trail which was just funded the
last few years it was started in 1972 so
there's a lot of first and just like
we've been really around Wilmington
there were a lot of firsts for
Wilmington there are a lot of firsts as
Massachusetts citizens and we really
foster pride in the state and we're
doing the kinds of things so this for
example was the first African American
church and one of the only ones
remaining or still today it was used as
a gathering place and we talked
being known as it was known in that time
as a black Daniel Hall William Lloyd
Garrison gave speeches there are many
many famous free blacks people and white
people came together to protest slavery
at that time a big favorite of mine the
kids Fabia's reasons they love
basketball and highlights the All Stars
reps coaches male female college pro its
shake as a spear actually like a
basketball we learned a couple of great
fats once it started out with peach
baskets and a ten-foot pole James named
fifth in it when he was at Springfield
College very interesting do you know is
Boston Celtics did not start out as the
Balkans at Boston Celtics they started
out as the Manhattan Celtics didn't come
to Boston until 1846 we didn't know that
mrs. Rodgers bred for hours glacial
potholes and the frigid flowers all kind
of uncharted territory for us we'd not
been there before embarrassed
embarrassed to say we don't know a lot
about the western part of the state but
Shelburne Falls actually was a site for
the Native Americans to go
salmon fishing we ought to shoot him a
little bit you get to the glacial
potholes which were formed by the
glacial period flooding the Connecticut
River Valley it all the mud the sand and
the stones went through is drilled
through the bottom of the river and
formed all these smooth crevices in the
river we can't really see the pictures
right here but we have great ones to
show the kids back in the classroom all
right you've been watching where's
Wilmington we've been talking with Jacky
Raffy and showing you some footage from
the Wilmington educational foundation
and how our teachers in this community
are really stepping out of their comfort
zones and getting all kinds of great
things going for our kids what's next
for the Wilmington educational
foundation what's the next big thing
well as I mentioned we have the
technology grants coming up in January
and then in February we'll be offering
our next fund for teachers application
process
fundraising I think this year is going
to
be a challenge as the economy continues
to downturn but we have our annual
vendor fair second annual vendor fair
coming up in April that we're hoping to
grow into a larger more successful
fundraising event and it's those sorts
of things in addition to the wonderful
corporate grants we get from companies
in town such as analog devices in
staples and danvers bank and other
businesses that support us on a on a
very consistent excellent basis anything
you'd like to ask our viewing audience
anything you need from the community
well only that you know we feel on the
Edie foundation boards so passionate
about the quality of our school system
and we really invite anyone who shares
that passion to either volunteer their
time with us
or come to a board meeting and hopefully
maybe become a board member eventually
and our information about the
organization and our meetings and what
we're up to is on our website Wilmington
educational foundation organ make sure
we put that out for you Jackie Rafi
thank you so much angel it was so
exciting to have it's really will you
come back before April and tell us about
your fundraiser I will that they drew so
we'll see you then make sure you keep
watching where's Wilmington so you can
find out what's really going on in your
community people like Jackie Rafi and
those other folks in the community
aren't really trying to make a
difference here and I think they're
succeeding so keep watching and remember
the next time someone asks you where's
Wilmington you tell them right here and
right here and WCT Pete thanks for
watching
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